Ceiling-washing machine.



N. 1. SODERLUND.

CEILING WASHING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED nic. I3. 1913.

` 1,1 34,925, Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

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CEILING WASHING MACHINE,

APPLICATION FILED DEC. I3, 1913.

Patented Apr.6,1915.'

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Mib/www THE NORRIS PETERS Co.. PHOTO-LITHG.. WASHINGTON. D. c4

jNILS J'. SODERLUND, OF MEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS.

CEILING-WASHING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 13, 1913. Serial No. 806,532.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Nits J. SoDnRLUND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Medford, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Ceiling-Washing Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make andV use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in machines for scrubbing ceilings and more particularly to a machine that is light and capable'of being readily moved and operated to scrub ceilings in a reliable and eX- peditious manner without unnecessarily splashing the dirty water about the room or building.

An important object of my invention is to provide a device of the character described which employs novel means for preventing dirty water from splashing into a room from the scrubbing mechanism and for preventing the scrubbing mechanism from scratching or marring the ceiling.

Another object of importance is to pro-v vide a machine of the character described which consists of a main supporting frame upon which is mounted an eXtensible frame that supports the scrubbing mechanism which consists of a rectangular pan having a rotary `scrubbing brush journaled therein that is operable from the main supporting frame.

Another important object of my invention is to provide a machine of the character described which employs novel means for yieldingly holding the scrubbing mechanism in engagement with the ceiling whereby injury or marring of the ceiling is prevented.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a machine such as above described which is simple as to construction and number of parts, is reliable and etlicient in its operation, which may be readily Vtaken apart for storage when not in use and which is cheap to manufacture.

The above and additional objects are accomplished by such means as are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, described in the following specication and then more particularly pointed out in the claims which are appended hereto and form Ia part of this application.

With reference to the drawings, wherein I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of my invention as it is reduced to practice, and throughout the vseveral views of which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts: Figure 1 is a side elevation of my device showing it in assembled position as it would appear when ready for operation, Fig. 2 is a front elevation, Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view showing the construction and arrangement of the scrubbing mechanism, Fig. l is atransverse sectional view taken on line 4.-4 of Fig. l illustrating the spring means for yieldingly holding the scrubbing mechanism in engagement with the ceiling, Fig. 5 isy a sectional view taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 2 illustratingthe position of the main and extension frames when in operative position the yieldable means forholding the extension frame in its position, and Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view illustrating the cushioning rollers which prevent the splashing of water, journaled in the scrubbing pan along the longitudinal edges thereof.

Referring now more particularly to .theV

drawings forming a part of this specification Vand in which like numerals are employed to designate corresponding parts, the numeral 1 designates as an entirety the main supporting frame. The supporting frame 1 consists of a plurality of inclined end standards 2, to theupper ends of which is secured a rectangular skeleton frame workl consisting of longitudinal side bars 3 which extend beyond the standards 2 and are provided at their terminals with transverse end Vbars 4. A pair of crossed bracing rods 5 and 6 is secured at its terminals to the longitudi? nal side bars 3, and supporting standards 2 upon opposite sides of the frame 1. These bars 5 and 6 serve to reinforce the frame 1 and thus enable the construction of alight skeleton frame work of material strength. Journaled in the lower ends of the standards 2 are rollers 7 which permit the ready and easy moving of the Vframe about the floor of a room or building, during the operation of scrubbing thel ceiling. These rollers 7 are preferably journaled upon a horizontal bar Patented Apr. 6, 1915.`

8 that is mounted between each of the standards 2 transversely of the frame 1 at the lower terminals of the standards thus providing more strength for thek structure.

Pivoted between certain of the standards 2 at one end of the frame 1 and within the frame is an approximately U-shaped frame 9, the side bars 10 and 11 of which extend beyond the bottom bar 12 and are pivotally connected with a transverse rod 13 disposed adjacent the lower ends of the standards 2 at one end of the frame 1. The U-shaped frame 9 when in extended position lies essentially parallel with the adjacent standard 2, and is disposed above the side bars 3 of the main supporting frame in an inclined plane relative to the vertical axis of the main frame 1.

An extension frame consisting of longitudinal side bars 14 and 15 and cross bars adjacent the ends of the side bars 14 and 15 is detachably secured to the upper ends of the U-shaped frame 9 by mea-ns of the bolt and nut connection designated 18 as an entirety. The lower ends of the side bars 14 and 15 extend beyond the cross bar 17 and are adapted for overlapping engagement with the upper ends of the side bars 10 and 11 of the frame 9 and when in such position are adapted to have inserted therethrough the bolts 18. The upper ends of the side bars 14 and 15 extend beyond the cross bar 16 to provide suiiicient space to accommodate the pivoted connections of a rectangular scrubbing pan designated 19. The scrubbing pan consists of a rectangular receptacle having a convex bottom and being open along its upper edges. The end Walls 20 and 21 of the rectangular pan are mounted adjacent the ends of the side bars 14 and 15 at the upper terminals thereof.

A brushing roller 22 is journaled longitudinally of the pan 19 approximately centrally of the side walls thereof. rlhe brushing roller 22 is provided at its ends with journaling pins or trunnions 23 and 24 that are adapted to be inserted through the end walls 20 and 21 of the member 19 and the upper ends of the bars 14 and 15 thus pivotally supporting the pan 19 and providing for the rotation of the roller 22. rlhe trunnion 24 is provided at its outer end with a pulley 25 which is operatively connected with a pulley 26 that is mounted adjacent the upper' end of the side bar 10 of the frame 9. A suitable belt 27 is mounted upon the pulleys 25 and 26 for the purpose of transmitting a rotary movement to the brush 22. A suitable crank handle 28 is connected with the pulley 26 for the obvious purpose of operating the machine. In this connection it is desirous of emphasizing the fact that any suitable motor may be employed for operating the machine and provision is made for the mounting of the motor upon the main supporting frame owing to its structural arrangement. It has not been thought necessary to illustrate a motor in this connection. Mounted longitudinally upon the sides of the pan 19 are rollers 29 and 30 which are disposed so that their faces are above the upper edge of the pan so as to engage the ceiling of a room or building and prevent the engagement of the pan with the ceiling which would scratch or unnecessarily mar the ceiling. These rollers 29 and 30 are preferably provided with a soft rubber surface so as to provide a slight yielding action. The plane of the upper surface of the brush 22 is common to the plane of the upper surfaces of the rollers 29 and 30. Thus when the pan is filled with water or other cleansing fluid and the brush 22 rotated the sealing engagement of the rollers 29 and 30 with the ceiling will prevent splashing of the water from the pan 1.9 into the room as will be clearly seen with reference to F ig. l in the drawings. As a means for draining the pan or receptacle 19 there has been provided centrally of the side walls and ends of the receptacle a downwardly extending internally screw threaded lip 31 to which is secured a suitable stop cock 32. il hose preferably of rubber and designated 33 is secured to the stop cock 32 and provides means for disposing the drainage water in a convenient manner, into a receptacle which may be placed upon the floor.

As a means for yieldingly holding the brush 22 and cooperating mechanism in operative position so that the rollers 29 and 30 and brush 22 are in engagement with the ceiling, there has been provided a pair of retractile springs 34 each of which is secured at one terminal to the transverse end bar 4 adjacent the end of the frame to which the frame 9 is attached. rlfhe other ends of the springs 34 are preferably detachably secured to eyelets 35 carried by a tansverse brace bar 36 that is secured to the side bars 10 and 11 of the frame 9 adjacent but spaced from the upper ends thereof. It will thus be seen that the springs 34 will yieldingly hold thc brushing mechanism into engagement with the ceiling and that scratching of the ceiling is prevented by the yielding action provided. i'

It is apparent that the extension frame consisting of the bars 14, 15, 16 and 17 may be detached from the frame 9 and the device may be stored without taking up much space.

In operation the device is pushed across a room while the operator turns the crank 28 causing the brush 22 to rotate against the ceiling. A suitable cleansing fluid or soapy water may be placed in the pan or receptacle 19 and the brush 22 will serve to eifectually cleanse the ceiling when operated after the manner hereinbefore described. The cushioning action of the rollers 29 and 30 prevents scratching or marring of the ceiling as well as splashing of the liquid or spraying thereof from the pan 19 into the room and unnecessarily soiling articles therein.

lt has been found preferable to construct the device of suitable light metal but it is obvious that any suitable material desired may be used in the construction of the frame.

In reduction to practice, I have found that the form of my invention, illustrated in the drawings and referred to in the above description, as the preferred embodiment, is the most ei'icient and practical; yet realizing that the conditions concurrent With the adoption of my device will necessarily vary, I desire to emphasize the fact that various minor changes in details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, when required, Without sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention, as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is 1. A ceiling Washing machine comprising a portable main supporting frame, a second frame pivoted to said main supporting frame, an extension frame detachably secured to said second frame, a receptacle pivotally mounted upon said extension frame, a scrubbing roller mounted Within the receptacle, means for operating the scrubbing roller, means for preventing the splashing of Water from the receptacle, and means for yieldingly holding the scrubbing roller in engagement With the ceiling.

2. A ceiling Washing machine comprising a main supporting frame, a second frame pivoted to said main supporting frame, an extension frame detachably secured to said second frame, a receptacle pivoted to the upper end of said extension frame, a scrubbing roller mounted Within the receptacle, means for operating the scrubbing roller, means carried by the receptacle for preventing splashing of Water therefrom, means for yieldingly holding the scrubbing roller in engagement With the ceiling, and a drain pipe connected with the receptacle.

3. A ceiling Washing machine comprising a main supporting frame, a second frame pivoted to said main supporting frame, an extension frame detachably secured to said second frame, a scrubbing roller secured to the upper end of said extension frame and adapted for engagement With the ceiling, means for operating said scrubbing roller, means for holding the scrubbing roller in yielding engagement With the ceiling, a receptacle for said Vscrubbing roller, and rollers journaled upon each side of the receptacle and vhaving their upper surfaces disposed in the same plane with the upper `surface of the scrubbing roller to prevent splashing of Water from the receptacle.

ll. A ceiling Washing machine comprising a main supporting frame, a second frame pivotally mounted upon said main frame, scrubbing means mounted upon said second frame, means for operating said scrubbing means and means for yieldingly holding said scrubbing means in engagement With the ceiling comprising a pair of retractile springs secured at their terminals to said main and second frames.

5. A ceiling Washing machine comprising a main supporting frame, rollers journaled.

in the lower ends of said main supporting frame, a second frame pivoted to said mam frames adapted to be disposed in angularrelation to the first frame When in operative position, and a pair of springs secured to the main and second frames for yieldingly holding the scrubbing roller in engagement With the ceiling.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of tvvo Witnesses.

NILS J SODERLUND. Witnesses:

WILLIAM J. GEEGAN, FRANK P. MAYBURY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. i 

